Chapter 11 · The Plague Is in the Water

"You're coming with me." Huo Yanzhan didn't ask. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the door before I could finish checking Jingchuan's pulse.

I yanked back. "He just stabilized. I'm not leaving him with—"

"Su Liyue's herbs didn't kill him. You said so yourself." His grip tightened. "The north gate's about to collapse. We need proof the water's poisoned before I lose three hundred men."

"So send literally anyone else."

"Everyone else might be the leak." He let go but blocked the doorway. "Someone knew you'd check that porridge. Someone made sure the poisoned batch went to my brother's guards, not the morning patrol."

I looked past him at Jingchuan, still gray but breathing steady. "How long do we have?"

"An hour. Maybe less." Huo's voice dropped. "The wall repair crew's already showing symptoms. If the water system's compromised and I can't prove it, the generals will overrule me. They'll keep using it."

"And if we go out there and your leak sees us?"

"Then whoever's doing this makes a move, and I finally know who to kill." He stepped aside. "You're bait and a witness. Let's go."

Fantastic.